


Somewhere Over the Sunset

by StarstruckScorpio



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, Everyone but Alex and Willie are only mentioned, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, but it’s okay but it’s sweet, this ship has become my entire life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26817814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarstruckScorpio/pseuds/StarstruckScorpio
Summary: “"What- what happened -I thought- Caleb-" he became a stuttering mess, and he unsuccessfully urged the tears to stop leaving his eyes.Alex had worry painted on his face as he reached up to wipe the other ghost's cheek with his thumb, his own eyes a bit teary."I don't know exactly. We were all laying on the floor in the studio about to be erased from existence when Julie walks in, tells Luke she loves him, and gives us a hug and suddenly our stamps were gone" Willie stared with confusion as Alex gave his explanation.”Or, after the curse is lifted, Alex goes to find Willie who thought the band had been erased from existence, and it was all his fault. Fluff and angst ensues.
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 391





	Somewhere Over the Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> READ: In the beginning I wanted to give Willie more depth and background and tell the story from his POV so the dialogue is a little far in. It also fills some holes in the show’s plot. Please give it a shot; it really adds to the story! :) thanks!

Willie's favorite part of the day was the sunset. Most nights he would try and find different spots to watch it. He had sat and watched it go down at what felt like to him nearly every spot in the city. Or, at least those with a view.

It was his little reminder that even though he was on earth for eternity, time still moved on. People still lived their lives, got older, and died, and that was Willie's way of feeling like he's a part of that.

Willie talks a lot about how great it is to be a ghost, but deep down, it got really hard sometimes. That's why he joined Caleb's club only a few years after his death. 

He remembers every detail about the first day in that club. For the first time since he died, Willie could eat food! He ate god knows how many trays of pizza, hotdogs, and donuts and never got full or sick.

It. Was. Awesome. 

He could dance with people all night long and be seen by lifer's. It was unlike anything he had ever ever experienced as a ghost thus far. He agreed to give his soul to Caleb Covington in exchange for all of that and all the ghost tips and tricks that Caleb decided to teach him. 

He took Willie under his wing, and for a while he was eternally greatful and blindly loyal. That was, until he realized the kind of man Caleb really was. 

Even so, for a while things were great! But even after all of the food, dancing, skating, and ghostly adventures, there was still a part of him missing. No matter how carefree Willie was, he had to admit to himself that he hadn't made any real connections as a ghost, ever. 

He was lonely.

You would never know it, though. Willie continued to skate all over town without a care in the world and pushed down any sad feelings he had that were any more serious than a scraped knee.

And he continued on like that. Until one day, he skated straight into a blonde ghost boy named Alex.

He always laughs to himself when he looks back on his first interaction with the other boy. He had planned to skate directly through him, just another faceless lifer walking down the street, but instead he smacked directly into him, both of them falling onto the ground. 

He got off of the stranger and immediately noticed that his board had been dented. His complaints didn't sit well with the the strange boy who responded with anger that he had crashed into him and then confusion that they were able to do so in the first place. 

Willie realized he was being a complete jerk and apologized for running into the other ghost. And, taking Alex's newness to being a ghost into account, Willie decided to teach Alex more about being a ghost while telling himself it was only to make up for knocking him down. 

As time went on, Alex and Willie quickly formed a strong connection and became friends. He thought it was incredibly endearing the way the drummer was clueless about being a ghost, and for the first time in his death Willie wanted to get know another person. Like, really get to know them. 

Willie never really put much thought into his sexuality. He died in 2005. Being gay was on the breach of becoming socially relevant, but not enough for him to really think about it. He had never been that interested in anyone even before he died, and being a ghost makes a person's love life a whole lot more challenging.

When you're a ghost, you really get a chance to admire people. You get to observe the way they interact with other people. You can sit directly next to someone's face and stare at them for an hour, memorizing every feature. 

Not that Willie has ever done this, though. That would be totally creepy.

The young skater just knew that he could find anyone attractive; it didn't matter who or what they were. He never really just thought much of it. He just assumed that everyone thought this way. 

But being with Alex was different. Alex made him feel more alive than skating directly into traffic during rush hour and watching the cars fly though him. They could talk for hours about anything, and Willie found special interest in catching Alex up on all the changes from the past 25 years.

So, when Alex came to him and asked for his help, of course he wanted to do everything he could. He was hesitant of course, given the nature of his boss, but Alex and his bandmates seemed really upset about this Bobby guy, so he figured it would be okay if he introduced them to Caleb. 

After he got to the club, however, he started to get second thoughts. It was easy to relax when Alex was around, but even hotdog couldn't ease his nerves when he knew exactly what Covington was capable of. Something was off, he just knew it.

Nevertheless, he still tried to enjoy the night. He danced, ate, and sat and talked with Alex and his friends. He really liked Luke and Reggie. They were funny, and they really seemed to care about Alex a lot. That was something they had in common. 

His feelings for Alex clicked into place when Caleb asked about their magic, and Alex (hilariously) responded with the words, "Willie and I?" 

And there it was. Willie and Alex. Alex and Willie. Suddenly Willie was able to put together why he enjoyed spending so much time with the other boy. 

Sexuality didn't really matter that much to him. It's not like he was worried about "sinning", the skater had already sold his soul. All that mattered to him was Alex.

And that's why he felt his heart shatter when he saw Caleb put his stamps on them. 

It was all his fault. Willie knew exactly what Caleb could do to them, and he brought all of them right to him.

After that he was given direct orders from Caleb to avoid the three musicians, and he tried, he really did. He did all the fun things he normally did: skated around town, explored celebrity homes, watched the sunset... But the entire time all he could think about is Alex, how much time he has, and whether or not he would ever see them again. 

So, he began popping up to check on them. They were okay, luckily, excluding the occasional painful jolts that they blamed on pizza. 

He kept doing this until one time Alex caught him peeking through the cafe window, and Willie skated away only to be caught by Caleb. He was then given a cryptic warning that clearly meant "If you go near them again without my permission, I'll destroy you". 

Another week and Willie couldn't take it anymore. What was the point of living for eternity if he had to live with this kind of worry and guilt? 

So, he finally showed up to tell the boys what was actually going on. They were understandably upset, especially Alex. Willie told him that he cares about him and he meant it. He only wished he had the time to tell him exactly how much. 

From that point Willie did everything he could to help them crossover. As much as he would've loved to spend eternity with the other ghost, he knew that that wasn't what Alex wanted, and seeing as this was his fault, he wanted to honor his wishes.

So, he got them the gig at the Orpheum which they all believed to be the band's unfinished business. Willie fully planned on attending, but Caleb Covington had other plans. 

He pulled all four of the boys to his club. Willie was placed in the audience while the band was forced to play for the powerful ghost. 

Willie knew that this was his punishment. Caleb was making him watch this on purpose because he knew it was as much torture for him as it was for them. 

At the end of the song, the boys were hit with another jolt. It was extremely powerful and knocked all three of them to the floor.

Willie stood in worry only to be pushed back down by Caleb's magic as the man stood smirking on the stage. Then there was another jolt, and Willie couldn't stand the sight anymore.

He used all of the ghostly power he had and poofed himself right out that club. After a few minutes, he felt bad for leaving, and came back only to see that they were gone. 

That was it. They were destroyed. 

Now it's a few hours later and Willie sat on the same concrete bench that he had taught Alex to move the first day they met, staring out at the night sky. The sunset passed an hour before, but it brought no joy. 

He felt empty, hollow. These three innocent boys were destroyed forever. The one person that he had ever really connected with was gone as if he never existed in the first place, and it was all his fault. 

Willie didn't know how long he had been crying for, he just sat as silent tears streamed down his face due to a heavy heart full of regret. 

He suddenly felt someone poor next to him, and a hand fell on his shoulder. The skater tensed up. 

"Do what you want with me, Caleb" he bit out, staring straight down at his worn sneakers.  
"I'm not sorry for trying to do the right thing".

"Well, I'd sure hope not".

Willie's head snapped up to meet bright blue eyes. Specifically bright blue eyes attached to a certain blonde ghost drummer. 

"Hotdog!" He exclaimed, wrapping the taller boy into the tightest hug he could muster as his heart swelled. A small laugh left the other boy as he hugged him back and replied lightheartedly:  
"Still a terrible nickname".

They stayed like that for a moment or two before pulling away. Willie wiped his tears off on his sleeve. He hadn't even realized he was still crying.

"What- what happened -I thought- Caleb-" he became a stuttering mess, and he unsuccessfully urged the tears to stop leaving his eyes.

Alex had worry painted on his face as he reached up to wipe the other ghost's cheek with his thumb, his own eyes a bit teary.

"I don't know exactly. We were all laying on the floor in the studio about to be erased from existence when Julie walks in, tells Luke she loves him, and gives us a hug and suddenly our stamps were gone" Willie stared with confusion as Alex gave his explanation.

He licked his lips before speaking.  
"If this lifer girl was able to undo Caleb's magic, then she must have something to do with your unfinished business... Why didn't you cross over?" He asked, searching the other boy's eyes. 

Alex shrugged.  
"I'm not sure. The hug broke our curse but we didn't cross over. Maybe-"  
the drummer thought for a moment.

"Maybe unfinished business isn't a single event, but a journey that you go on."

Willie nodded slowly.  
"That actually makes really good sense. Maybe playing the orpheum is part of it. If you want we can try to get you guys another gig." He offered. The boys having to miss their dream show was another thing that weighed him down with guilt. 

Suddenly the drummer lit up.  
"No that's the thing. We did get to play! After our little performance at Caleb's club we were able to poof to the orpheum and perform!" He exclaimed excitedly.

Willie smiled and gave out a laugh.  
"What? That's incredible" he pulled Alex into another hug as they giddiness climbed up both of the boys' chests.

The hug lingered and their smiles faded as they pulled away. Willie's hand still rested on Alex's shoulder, and Alex's hand rested on Willie's hip. 

The young skater ghost noticed two things:

1\. Alex's eyes were really beautiful at night.  
2\. They were close. Really close.

After a moment Alex looked away quickly and averted his gaze to his hands that were clasped together in his lap. Willie fixated on a particularly interesting pipe that was on the ground.

The drummer cleared his throat.  
"So um-" he paused.  
"You didn't make it to the show?" He asked, finally looking back up at the other boy. 

With that one question, all of the guilt came rushing back.  
"I was there when you played the club" he told him. Alex raised his eyebrows but said nothing. 

"Caleb made me watch. But when you started jolting I couldn't stand it anymore and I left. I felt so bad that I came back but you were gone. So, I thought-"

"That we didn't make it" Alex cut him off, finishing his sentence for him. Willie nodded, averting his gaze to the floor. 

It was silent for another moment before the skater spoke up again.  
"Alex I-" he choked as he felt tears welling up in his eyes once again. Willie didn't think he had ever cried so much.

"I'm so sorry for everything that I put you and your friends through. I just wanted to help, but I brought you right to a man who I knew was dangerous. I was the one who told him about your ability to be seen, and I'm the reason you got stamped. If only I hadn't-"

"Willie, stop, please" Alex cut him off with a gentle voice.  
"It wasn't your fault. You didn't know what would happen, and if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be sitting here right now." Willie looked up to see Alex's kind eyes staring straight into his. 

Willie remained silent and looked back at his shoes, so the drummer continued.  
"I'm so thankful for knowing you, and I don't regret meeting you a single bit, so you shouldn't either". Willie knew Alex meant what he said, and that he had forgiven him, but in reality the skater couldn't forgive himself.

It was silent for five seconds or maybe thirty, Willie couldn't really tell. But eventually, he finally spoke up, not looking up from the floor.

"You know, you're the first real friend I've made since I died. You make me laugh like no one else can, and there's literally nobody else I would rather watch the sunset with. You make me feel alive again, and as much as I like being a ghost, it's really nice" Alex said nothing, so he continued. 

"And then I thought I'd lost you, and I wasn't honestly sure how I was going to move on. Because even though we've only known each other for a short time, you quickly became the most important person in my life, and I wasn't really sure what I would do without you". 

It was silent for too long after that, and Willie was sure he had completely freaked the other ghost out. He kept his gaze glued to the floor, not daring to look up. 

All of the sudden he felt gentle fingers on his jaw urging him to look up. He let his head be lifted and met Alex's eyes that were even closer than when they had hugged.

Alex glanced down at the other boy's lips, and Willie's breath hitched slightly. The drummer leaned in and Willie's eyes fluttered shut as soft lips met his. 

It was gentle but passionate. Neither boy really knew much about kissing, but Alex was determined to give it all he had as he pressed his mouth against the skater's, moving slowly as he reached up to hold the back of Willie’s neck.

The kiss was short lived but sweet and everything both boys could've hoped for. As they pulled away Alex gave the other boy a sweet smile and went to put his hand down only to pull Willie's head with it. 

Worry danced across Alex's face as he realized one of his rings had been tangled in Willie's hair.  
"Oh my god I'm so sorry, these rings get stuck on everything here let me just-" Alex reached up with his other hand and was cut off my Willie laughing hysterically.

Alex got his ring out of his hair and gave a sheepish smile, looking away.  
"I totally just ruined the moment, didn't I?" He asked, meeting Willie's eyes which were full of amusement.

"No, I'd say you Alex-ed it actually" He smiled, nodding in self affirmation.

Alex grimaced.  
"I don't know how I feel about my name being used as a verb" Willie laughed at that.  
"Okay, then you successfully hotdog-ed it".

The drummer busted out laughing along with the other boy.  
"That is so much worse and oddly inappropriate". He straight up giggled along side the skater.

After a moment, their faces fell into small smiles. Willie reached out and grabbed Alex's hand.

"It was perfect. You're perfectly imperfect and that is what's so great about you, hotdog". The skater beamed at the blonde ghost who smiled back sheepishly before glancing down at their linked hands. 

He furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Um Willie?" He asked.  
"Yea?"

"Didn't you have Caleb's stamp on this wrist?"

Willie quickly looked to see that in fact the wrist that was just thirty minutes ago marked with Caleb's stamp was no perfectly clear.

"What? I-" He started but was cut off by Alex's gasp.  
"The kiss!" He exclaimed, eyes widening.  
"Huh?" Willie was not following.

"I hugged Julie and that caused my curse to lift. So, when I kissed you the stamp must've come off and we didn't even notice!" Alex exclaimed.

If Willie had a heartbeat, it would be beating out his chest.  
"So that means Caleb-"

"Doesn't own your soul anymore" Alex finished for him, smiling wide.

Willie smiled in return and let out another joyful laugh, pulling Alex into a happy, celebratory kiss.

The drummer pulled back dazed but smiling as he reached for Willie's hands. 

“Me- us. We must a part of your unfinished business” He downright beamed. Willie wasn’t sure if he believed in destiny, but right then he sure hell did. 

“That’s amazing” he replied, matching the smile on the other boy’s face.

Alex sat up a little straighter but the smile never left his face.  
"It's official. You are free from Caleb Covington and are now ready to start your new afterlife with Julie and the Phantoms!" He exclaimed excitedly.

Willie burrowed his eyebrows in confusion.  
"I- What? What do you-"

"You're not alone anymore, Willie. Me, Reggie, Luke and Julie can be your family." Willie felt tears springing to his eyes once again at that. 

Worry began to shine in Alex's eyes.  
"Oh gosh I-, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make you cry again I-"

"I didn't really have a family growing up. I was in foster care from the time I was nine just bouncing around from home to home. So you have no idea how much this means to me" Willie cut him off with a genuine smile.

Another smile bloomed on Alex's face. He said nothing, but pulled Willie to lay his head on his shoulder. 

They sat and looked at the stars together all night long and talked about anything and everything. They didn't know how long they had together, eternity or maybe just a couple of years. All they knew is this afterlife was another chance, and they sure as hell were going to make the most of it.


End file.
